SPORTS YEARBOOK 2011 (Including the 2009-2010 Review

Golf Club
www.srcf.ucam.org/cugolfclub/
CUGC/CUGC/Welcome.html
The Cambridge University Golf
Club has a history reaching back
over 120 years and caters to men
and women of all levels of ability.
The CUGC fields two mens’
teams – the Blues and the Stymies
– and one ladies’ team to contest
their respective Varsity Matches
each year against Oxford. The
Men’s Blues match, played each
March, is the oldest amateur
fixture in golf.
2009-2010 Season Summary
For much of the season, the focus
was on building on the talents of
the existing squad and turning
golfing potential into successful
results.The Michaelmas term
began well, with draws against
strong sides at Little Aston and
Blackwell Golf Clubs.
Unfortunately, the remainder of
the term was less successful, with
a number of narrow losses, but
hopes were high for Lent, as the
hard work in coaching sessions
was starting to show itself in
medal rounds and the last few
matches of term.
The Lent term was a constant
battle against the elements, with
five out of the sixteen fixtures
cancelled due to snow and ice.
However, the Blues and the
Stymies were not put off, and hard
work on the range paid dividends,
with strong morning sessions at
Rye and The Berkshire.Throughout
the second half of the Lent term,
the focus was solely on the Varsity
Match, with intense coaching
sessions and a series of good
results, ending with a thumping
win at West Hill Golf Club, leaving
the spirits of the team high for the
match at Porthcawl.
Varsity Matches
The Varsity golf matches are all
played over the course of 5 days at
nearby venues. The Ladies’ match
is customarily played on the
Tuesday, followed by the Stymies
(mens’ second team) on the
Wednesday, and the Dinner
Match (Blues alternates) on the
Thursday. Each of these matches
consists of 18-hole foursomes
matches in the morning and
18-hole singles matches in
the afternoon.
The week culminates in the twoday
University Golf Match
between the Blues sides, which is
played on Friday, with 5 36-hole
foursomes matches, and Saturday,
with 10 36-hole singles matches.
The 2010 University Golf Match,
together with the Dinner Match
and the Ladies’ match was hosted
at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club in
Porthcawl, Wales. The Stymies’
match was played at Pennard
Golf Club, about 30 minutes north
of Porthcawl.
Cambridge Women 5.5-3.5
Oxford Women
On the back of a strong season,
expectations for the Cambridge
Ladies were high at Royal
Porthcawl and, as the first match
of the week, a win would set the
tone for the matches to follow
later in the week. The Ladies
obliged, winning a hard-fought
contest the came down to the last
match on the course.
In the morning foursomes, the
Cambridge top pair of Louisa Tarn
and Michaela Bacon winning the
top match comfortably, and Olivia
McBride and Katie Taylor doing
likewise in the bottom game.
Oxford’s top pair were played out
second and defeated former
Cambridge captain Leanne Mullen
and Hilary Crowe.
Oxford again juggled their order in
the afternoon singles order,
meaning that although captain
Louisa Tarn claimed her match by
a commanding 9&8 margin, there
was hard work to be done by
those further down the
Cambridge order. Crowe and
Mullen both had tough matches
and lost despite some good golf.
That left the match tied with three
games on the course, and
Cambridge needing to secure at
least two points to earn the
victory, as Cambridge reserve
Lucy Akrill lost a heartbreaking
game down the last in reserve
match, which would serve as
the tie-breaker.
The bottom of the Cambridge
order responded. McBride, four
down at one stage in her match,
staged a brave comeback, winning
the last three holes for a wellearned,
and vital, half against her
strong Oxford opponent. In the
fifth game, Katie Taylor hung onto
her lead down the last to earn an
equally vital full point for
Cambridge. That left Michaela
Bacon on the course needing at
least a half to see Cambridge
retain the title they had held for
three years. A brave five on the
tricky 16th hole set up a dramatic
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